One of its unique features is the ability to switch between on-foot FPS combat to space craft dog fights seamlessly, with no loading times. This is extended to being able to move away from the controls and walk around in the ship during flight as the ship continues on its course. Henry Rollins provided the voice of the titular character [2] and also provided music for the game [citation needed].

The game takes place in the fictional Vagner System on the edge of the known universe. The Vagner System is a frontier or wild west that is inhabited by large corporations and pioneers looking for a fresh start or to make a quick buck. The backbone of the Vagnerian economy is the large Tannan Corporation, which has a virtual monopoly over the Vagner System. In order to maintain law and order and to protect their interests, a group of large corporations founded the Enforcer police service in the Vagner System. In addition to the Enforcers the Guild of Bounty Hunters was established.

Gameplay is as the character Mace Griffin, a member of the Guild of Bounty Hunters. The game plot develops as a series of missions Mace Griffin is given while working for the Guild of Bounty Hunters. During these seemingly unrelated missions, Mace discovers a dark conspiracy taking place in the Vagner System involving the appearance of mysterious black wormholes while he is out for his own form of justice: revenge for being thrown into jail years earlier though an act of betrayal. He must seek out and destroy those who have wronged him.

Three different races populate the Vagner System, all settlers from their own home systems. These are humans, the Jaldari, large gorilla-like humanoids and Valleakan, green lizard-like humanoids. All three races are at peace and mix freely together throughout the universe.